Musical instrument.



No.- 674,604. Patented lay 2l,' l90l. J. C. DEAGAN.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT;

(Application Med Jan. 17, 1901.) (NolodoL) 2 Shoots-Sheet l.

m: NOIII! Pmn cov. mum-undo" wnnmuton. 0 cv U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. DEAGAN, OF OI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,604, dated May 21, 1901. Application filed January 17, 1901. Serial No. 43,564. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. DEAGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Musical Instruments, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to musical instruments of the class known as xylophones or marimbas, in which the musical tones are produced by vibrating bars of steel or wood arranged side by side and tuned to a scale. ally setin vibration by percussion, as by striking them with a cushioned mallet. My invention is of especial value in connection with steel-bar marimbas having resonatortubes below the bars to strengthen the tones.

The principal feature of my invention is the means which I have provided whereby tones of different length or quality maybe obtained from the same instrument. This consists, generally speaking, in changing the support of the vibrating bars, as from points on the natural nodal lines to points a little removed from such nodal lines, and I have provided two ways in particular for thus changing the points of support. One. wayis to provide a supplemental supporting-rail which may be raised or lowered to take the support of the bars upon itself or to transfer them to another bar, which will support them at a different point. Another Way is by loosely securing the bars to one of the rails by pins passing through comparatively large holes in the bars and constructing the supportingframework in such a way that one of the rails upon which the vibrating bars rest may be raised higher than the other to throw a part of the weight of the bars upon the pins.

Other features of the invention are a new mounting for the bars whereby they may be played upon by a resined bow as Well as by mallets, an improved mounting for the resonator-tubes, and various minor structural improvements,which will hereinafter be pointed out.

I will describe my invention particularly by reference to the accompanying drawings, and the particular features or combinations In such instruments the bars are usu-.

of parts which I believe to be novel will be set forth in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a steel-bar marimba embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof with some parts broken away, showing how the frameworks which support the two sets of vibrating bars may be rotated to various angular positions. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of theinstrument. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the mounting of a supplemental supporting-rail for the vibrating bars. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end of the instrument. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a portion of one of the bars having a hole therein and a cushioned pin or hook passing through the hole and into the supporting-rail for holding the bar in place, and Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views showing how the supplemental supporting-rail may be adjusted to a position different from that in which it is shown in the other views.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts wherever they are shown.

In the instrument shown in the drawings,

which,as before stated, is a steel-bar marimba with tubular resonators, there are two rows or sets of the vibrating bars a, each row being carried by an independent quadrilateral framework 6, which is rotatably mounted in wooden end pieces 0 c of a steel standard d. In one of the frames the bars are tuned to a diatonic scale, while on the other they are tuned to the half-notes, both sets together thus giving the complete chromatic scale.

The frameworks b b are trapezoidal in shape, the non-parallel sides I) b of the trapezoid being elongated to form supportingrails, across which the steel bars rest. The ends I) b of each frame are provided with threaded trunnion or pivot bolts, which are passed through holes in the end pieces a c of the supporting-standard and form a mounting for the frame, whereby it may be tilted to various angular positions. At the lefthand end piece a, as seen in Fig. 1, the trunnion-bolts b b of the two frames are passed through long slots 0 0, through which they may be moved and adjusted toward or from each other. This is a convenience when the I two frames are both to be rotated to'the position of the one shown at the left in Fig. 2 to bring the two rows of plates, which would then be hanging vertically, into substantially parallel planes. When rotated to such positions, the instrument may be played by drawinga resined bow across the upper ends of the steel bars to throw them into vibration. The outer edges of the bars are hollowed a little, as shown, to prevent the bow from slipping off. Thumb-nuts are provided for the threaded. bolts b b to fasten the frames in any desired angular position, and cleats c c -are provided upon the end pieces 0, against which the ends of the frames abut when rotated ninety degrees and move toward one another through theslots These cleats assist the thumb-nuts in holding the frames in the position to which they have been moved, and their function will be made clear by referring to Fig. 2.

, Asupplemental supporting-railb is mount ed in" each trapezoid frame alongside one of the main rails b. This supplemental rail is arranged to' slide up and down in the end pieces, so that it may be moved up to support the bars or not, as may be desired. In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown it in an elevated position, lifting the bars clear of the rail 1) and taking their support upon itself. A sliding catch b is mounted at each end of this movable rail, which may be grasped to lift the rail and then pulled out, as shown in Fig. 8, to lock the rail in its elevated position.

The resonator-tubes e e underneath the vibrating bars a ct are riveted between two steel tie-rails f f, which unite and support them.,, These tie-rails f are suspended from the end pieces I) b of the trapezoid frame, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 5. At the smaller end of each trapezoid these supporting-rails rest in recesses in the end of the framework, while at the larger end they are sustained by a pivoted cleat g, fastened by screws g g to the inner surface of the frame end. Leather buffersi i are provided in the ends of the frame, against which the tie-rails are held to prevent rattling or undue vibration.

The resonator-tubes are provided with adjustable plugs e in the interior to regulate the length of the vibrating air-column, as described in a patent granted to me March 6, 1900, No. 644,817.

Felt cushion-strips are provided upon the upper edges of the side supporting-rails b b and the supplemental rail 17 so that a clear mellow tone will be produced free from all harshness or rattling.

Each of the bars a a is held in place by three hooked pins 71. h it, one of said pins h passing through a hole a in the bar near its outer end into the side supporting-rail b and the other pins embracing the other end of the bar, being screwed on either side thereof into the rail 1). These hooks do not engage the bar tightly, but serve merely as guides or supor I may leave them bare.

, pins.

. side.

ports to keep it in place upon the instrument. The pins h h are provided with tubular softrubber sleeves or bulfers. Upon the pins h, which pass through the holes in the bars, I provide in some cases hard-rubber washers, This is to deaden or damp the vibrations to produce a short tone more readily when the bars rest upon the Preferably for the bars of higher tone I provide the pins with soft-rubber buffers 71?, stuck on one side of the pins.onlythe out- These are merely to cushion the bars whenthey are hung vertically from the pins,

as'shown at the left in Fig. 2.

If steel bars, such as those described and :shown, are struck while being supported at their nodal lines, the vibration will be continued for a few seconds after the stroke, producing a long humming tone. In a musical instrument of the character described such a tone may frequently be used to good effect, but is not always desirable. For instance, light, quick, and delicate music cannot be well played with such long tones, because the notes will all be slurred or run together, and so produce a more or less confused jumble of sounds. The efiect, in other words, is like that produced by playing the same music on -a piano with the loud pedal on.

I have found that by shifting the support of the .vi

brati'ng bars to a point a little off the nodal line the vibration will be quickly checked or damped, so that a short sweet musical note will be obtained from each bar. I have therefore-in my improved marimba provided two means forchanging the support of the bars to damp their vibration, and so produce the desired short tone. The first consists simply in rotating the supporting-framework of the bars to an angular position, as shown at the right in Fig. 2. The hole a, which is bored in each plate, is located so that its outer edge is just on the nodal line. The nodal line is indicated on the left-hand bar of the upper set in Fig. 5 by a dotted line. When the framework is horizontal, the bars are normall y supported on their natural nodal lines by the felt-covered rails 1) b but when the frame is tilted to an angular position, as shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, the first vibrations of the bars when struck cause them to slide down the incline a little way until they rest against the hooks h, which thus su pport the bars a little 01f the nodal lines. The vibrations of the plate are then checked or damped by this touch, so that a short tone is produced. I V

A second way of changing the quality of the tone, which may, if desired, be used in addition to the other, is by transferring the support of one end of each of the vibrating bars from the rail 1) to the. rail b, and vice versa. The rail I) normally. supports the bars on their natural nodal lines, so that a long tone is produced when the bars are struck. When, however, the rail b is lowered, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the bars are transferred to the rail 1), which supports them nearer their ends off of the nodal lines. When the bars are struck as thus supported, the vibrations are checked or damped and a short tone produced. In the right-hand portion of Fig. 2 I have shown both the means of producing the short tone combinedthatis, the framework is tilted so that the bars rest with the inner edges of the holes ct upon the hooks h and also, the rail 19 is lowered to transfer the support of the bars at the opposite ends thereof fromthe hole to the rail 1) off the nodal lines. In the left-hand portion of Fig. 2 I

have shown the framework carrying the bars,

which are tuned to the half-notes, rotated in an opposite direction to that in which Lt would be tilted if it were in a position corre sponding to that of the frame carrying the diatonic bars shown in the right-hand portion of the figure. As shown in the left-hand portion, the bars hang vertically from the hooks h 72,, so that the instrument may be played with a bow.

A feature of my invention which I consider to be of especial importance is the location of the hole in the vibrating bar at a point such that the natural nodal line of the bar will be tangent to the edge of the hole. Heretofore in instruments of the character described where the nodal lines of the vibratin g bars have been considered at all the holes have been bored centering on the nodal lines. My improvement has two advantages. When the bars lie horizontally, they rest substantially upon their nodal lines and give a long tone; but when tilted they slide down until the pin touches the bar at a point distant the width of the hole from the nodal line, and, secondly, when the framework is rotated in the opposite direction and the bars are hung vertically to be played upon by the bow, as shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 2, they should have the greatest freedom of vibra tion, and in myinvention they hang directly upon their nodal lines. If the hole were bored centering on the nodal line, it is obvious that the bar would hang from a point removed from that line by a distance equal to half the diameter of the hole.

.It is evident that modifications may be made in the structure shown without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction shown; but,

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a series of vibrating bars a, of supports for said bars, and means for changing the points of support of the bars to change the quality of the tone, substantially as set forth.

2. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a series of vihrating bars a, of supporting-rails b I) across which the bars rest, and a supplemental supporting-rail 12 adapted to be adjusted to lift the bars from one of said rails 19 b and support the bars themselves along another line, where by the tone given by'the bars may be changed in quality by changing the support of the bars, substantially as set forth.

3. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a series of vibrating bars, of a pair of side rails across which the bars lie, of pins passing through holesin said ba rs to one of the side rails, and a mounting permitting one of said side rails to be elevated above the other, to throw a part of the weight of the bars upon the pins, whereby the bars may be caused to give ton es of different qualities, substantially as described.

, 4C. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a series of vibrating bars Lt, of a supporting-framework having a pair of rails 19 17 across which the bars rest, each of said bars having a hole cut therein near a nodal line of the bar, the diameter of said hole extending substantially from the nodal line longitudinally of the bar, pinspassiug through the holes in said bars into one of the supporting-rails, and a mounting for the supporting-framework permitting the same to be rotated to an angular position, whereby the support of said bars may be changed to cause them to produce tones of different quality, substantially as set forth.

5. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with vibrating bars and a supporting-framework therefor, of a pair of railsff resting at theirends in the end pieces of the supportirig-framework, and extending underneath the row of vibrating bars, and resonator-tubes for said bars, fastened to the said rails ff and lying between them, as described. a

6. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with the vibrating bars and the supporting-framework therefor, of resonator-tubes e e for said bars, a pair of tie-rails f f between which the resonatortubes are fastened, and a removable cleat g secured to the inner side of one of the end pieces of the framework, the rails ff which support the resonator-tubes resting in recesses at one end of the supporting-framework and upon the cleat at the other end, substantially as set forth.

7. A vibrating bar for an instrument of the class described, said bar having a hole through the same, centered off the nodal line of the bar, with the edge of the hole on the IIO centered near the nodal lines of the bar in hang from the pins resting on their nodal such a location that the outer edges of the lines, substantially as set forth. IO holes are substantially on the nodal lines, In witness whereofI hereunto subscribe my and a mounting for the framework to permit name this 15th day of January, A. D. 1901. 5 the same to be tilted to cause the bars to rest JOHN C. DEAGAN.-

upon the pins off the nodal lines, the frame- Witnesses: work being also adapted to be rotated in the DE WITT O. TANNER, opposite direction until the vibrating bars W. W. LEACH. 

